Volkswagen company

“Volkswagen AG” (Volkswagen AG), a German automotive company. It produces cars, trucks, vans. Headquartered in Wolfsburg. In 1934, Ferdinand Porsche (Ferdinand Porsche), the famous German designer (founder of the world-famous German car company Porsche AG), was commissioned by the National Socialist Government of Germany for the development of the modern car. And already in 1935 this car was assembled. It was called “Volkswagen”, which literally translated from German means “people’s car”. After two years of testing in 1937 it launched a series of VW30, but by 1938 the car has found a familiar look to many generations. Volkswagen immediately appreciated designers, engineers and drivers. On the fore, there have been numerous publications in 1938 in the article New York Times Volkswagen dubbed for resemblance “beetle”. This nickname stuck so that was the hallmark of the car. For the production of “people’s car” May 26, 1938 in the city of Wolfsburg began the construction of Europe’s largest car factory Volkswagen. But the impending war prevented the start production of this car. They had made only a dozen. The car was very fond of fascist bonze. He traveled with pleasure Hitler himself. During World War II, the construction of Volkswagen were suspended, and the unfinished plant redeveloped for the production of military products. After the war, the company came under the control of the British, whose occupation zone was Wolfsburg. In the autumn of 1945 the British authorities handed over the plant to the order of 20 thousand cars. But nearly a decade later began mass production of the car in its original version. In 1947, Volkswagen was offered for export fair in Hanover, and has attracted a lot of attention. The plant received its first foreign order from the Netherlands for a thousand cars, and in 1948 began to receive orders from Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden and other countries. In January 1948, new leadership Volkswagen, its general director was Heinrich Nordhoff, the new generation of German technocrats. The updated guidance consisted of graduate engineers have international experience in the auto plants, and who could think outside the box. With the advent of the car has been improved and modernized. In 1949 we began to produce models with a new type of body – a convertible and a limousine. The mass production of interior equipment has become more comfortable, the default installation is partially synchronized engine. It had been established a network of technical service centers and car service stations. Continuing work was carried out with foreign clients. Volkswagen has created a powerful network of car sales. Export car, the world-famous by the end of 1948 amounted to about 50 thousand cars in the domestic market sold about 15 thousand. By this time, the plant was freed from Allied control of the British, and September 6, 1949 Volkswagen has been completely transferred to the Federal Republic of Germany. A new stage of development of the plant, which was primarily marked by an intense build-up of production and increased sales. By 1950 it was produced 100 thousand vehicles in 1951 – 500 thousand cars, and August 5, 1955, a solemn ceremony on the occasion of the release of the millionth Volkswagen 2. The motto of this time in the life of the Germans became a popular phrase associated with Volkswagen, – “He’s a member of my family”. Proven years of reliability and reasonable price machines strengthened the export opportunities of the car. Volkswagen sold in the 150 countries worldwide. There are subsidiaries abroad – in 1953 in Brazil, in 1956 in South Africa, in 1957 in Australia, in 1964 in Mexico (here in 1998 produced “bug”, which became a hit of the season, the Hollywood stars) and other countries. The first modification of the standard Volkswagen-1200 in 1955 became the sports coupe Karmann-Ghia, the brand which has been drawn up of the names of firms created it: the body has designed the Italian company “Ghia”, and he was going to a German firm body “Karmann” in Osnabrück. In 1961, the program has a new Volkswagen-1500 notchback engine and increased working volume, which were issued on the basis of regular performance coupe and convertible Karmann-Ghia. In 1965, Volkswagen bought the company “Daimler-Benz” company Audi, creating concern Volkswagen-Audi, known by the acronym VAG. Later, it included the Spanish company SEAT (SEAT) and the Czech plant “Skoda” (Skoda). Currently «Audi AG» – a subsidiary of the concern «Volkswagen», which is given full independence. The first result of unification in 1968 became the VW-411 air-cooled engine with a displacement of 1679 cc. The model has been adopted very restrained buyers. In 1969, after joining the firm NSO has its first Volkswagen with front-wheel drive, has received index “K-70 “. It can be purchased with engine capacity of 1594 cc or 1795 In the years 1969-1975 in cooperation with the firm issued Porsche sports cars Volkswagen-Porsche-914 with 4- and 6-cylinder engines in 1679 and 1991 cc In 1970 he appeared VW-181 with utilitarian open body, reminiscent of wartime military vehicles. Its development in 1979, became an easy four-wheel drive army vehicle lltis. The founder is considered to be a new generation of front-wheel drive Volkswagen Passat, released in 1973. It is offered in many variants with engine capacity ranging from 1297 to 1588 cc The following year came racing Scirocco 3-door coupé and motors in volume from 1093 to 1588 cc, as well as a compact 3- and 5-door hatchback Golf. For the first 30 months of production from 1 million rolled off the machines Golf, Volkswagen in making one of the largest car manufacturers in Europe. In 1979 there was a convertible Golf, consistently high demand. Model Golf I, which appeared in 1974, was the most successful: a modern, cost-effective, reliable, it is this model could shake up the international market. Golf has marked a new stage of competition in the production of a class of compact cars, which have become almost officially called the “Golf class”. If during the development of new models in 1973-1974 concern losses exceeded 800 million German marks, already in 1975, due to the large demand for them was able to cover all costs. After only 3 years after the launch of Golf I was made millionth car of this brand. In 1983 he saw the light of Golf II, and eight years later, in 1991, debuted Golf III, which, like previous models, supported by high reputation Golf. For twenty-three years since the beginning of the release was issued 17 million Golf three generations. In 1995-1996 Golf III was the leader in the number of sales in Europe. In 1997, the debut of the new Golf IV, only a few days after which it was adopted more than 60 thousand orders. In early 1975 he introduced the “younger brother” Golf – front-wheel drive three-door Polo, similar in design to the car Audi-50, and is offered with engine capacity of 895-1272 cc Inexpensive and practical Polo has also become very popular and has strengthened the financial position of Volkswagen. Based on the proposed three-volume version of the Polo notchback Derby. Since 1980, based on the Golf Jetta model was made with a body 4-door sedan. In 1992 it was replaced by a similar machine (already in the third generation Golf chassis), called Vento. In 1981, the Passat and Scirocco have been upgraded, and a year later appeared on the base Passat sedan Santana, in equipment which was part of the first 5-cylinder gasoline engine working volume of S 1994 cc In the period 1988-1995 was about the only program in the 3-door coupe Corrado, successor Scirocco. Models of Variant station wagon and convertible cars on the chassis of the third generation continue to be issued in 1993. Two models Variant Syncro with 2,0 and 2,9-liter engines have four-wheel drive chassis. The compact model is the third generation Polo is produced since 1994. The bodies of 3- and 5-door hatchback, sedan and Polo Classic 5-door station wagon Variant. Engines petrol and diesel 4-cylinder working volume of 1.0-1.9 liters capacity of 50-101 hp Comfortable family Vento is equipped with the first generation of 4- and 6-cylinder engines in the 1.6-2.8 liter capacity 75-174 hp Versatile high capacity Sharan made since 1995 in 5-7-seater versions for front and all-wheel drive chassis. Power gasoline and diesel engines working volume of 1.9-2.8 liters within the 90-174 hp The family of the fifth generation of the Passat was shown in 1996. Unlike previous machines, produced in 1988, they re-unified with the same type of Audi Model “A4” and “A6”. This enabled more powerful and modern powertrains Audi longitudinal location. Models Passat produced only sedan and 5-door station wagon Variant and are equipped with a 4-, 5- and 6-cylinder petrol and diesel engines in the 1.6-2.8 liter capacity 90-193 hp Several models Variant Syncro are in complete wheel-drive chassis. In 1999 came the model luxury sedan BORA. Several companies of Volkswagen in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and China produce a number of models that are significantly different from European products. Among these models, “Goal” (Gol), “Paraty” (Parati) and “Santana”, created on the chassis models Golf and Passat previous generations. The Mexican branch continues production of the “1,6i” like “Bug” with a 1.6-liter engine of 44 hp, and with the beginning of 1998, mastered the production of fundamentally new front wheel drive car “Beetle” (Beetle) chassis models Golf, It resembles the famous “Beetle”. Now the concern Volkswagen – one of the largest sales volume in the world, has its factories in 15 countries, manufactures products under five brands Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT. Since 1998, the Group owned brand of “Rolls-Royce”. In addition to passenger cars, the factory also provides production of trucks, vans. The composition of the Volkswagen Group include: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, “SEAT SA”, “Skoda automobilova”, “Volkswagen Sachsen GmbH”.